ND Burma
ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.
Recent Posts
- Myanmar National Organizing Committee for ACSC/APF ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum 2024
- Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 1 to 7, 2024)
- Red Cross chief calls for greater aid access after visit to Myanmar
- Over 67 killed by airstrikes in Arakan State since Sunday; ICRC requests humanitarian access during visit to Naypyidaw
- Myanmar junta airstrikes kill dozens, including prisoners, rebels say
AAPP and Burma Partnership: How to Defend the Defenders?
/in ND-Burma Members' ReportsA Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Burma and Appropriate Protection Mechanisms
Testimonies and reports from inside the country have painted a very different picture to the new tolerant and free Burma that the Burma Government wants the world to see. Those who try to defend human rights, or question the power or narrative of the Burma Government — and their military and corporate backers —now seem to be operating in as dangerous an environment as ever.
The immediate objective of the report is to provide a comprehensive picture of the current situation of Human Rights Defenders (“HRDs”) in Burma, including the threats and risks that they face. The report also provides concrete, practical, research-based, solution-oriented policy recommendations for HRDs, the Burma authorities, and any other relevant actors, to enhance HRDs’ access to adequate and realistic protection programs, and to strengthen legislative and judicial protection mechanisms for HRDs in Burma. The medium-term objective is to facilitate the emergence of an enabling environment in which HRDs can operate freely, and carry out their valuable and legitimate human rights work. The longterm objective is to realize an improved human rights situation in Burma, whereby human rights are promoted, respected and protected, particularly those of poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups, including religious, ethnic and social minorities, as well as local grassroots communities.
Download the full report here.
Download the report briefer here.
Report on Asia Exchange ‘Memory for Change’
/in Other Human Rights ReportsImpunity Watch (IW) is pleased to announce the publication of its report based upon the Asia Exchange Meeting ‘Memory for Change’, held in Bangkok from 3-7 November 2014. It was organised by IW, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and swisspeace. The Exchange brought together 34 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), two victims’ groups and seven international organisations working on human rights and transitional justice, including Asian Justice and Rights (AJAR), and Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD). The event built on a previous exchange meeting on memorialisation organised by IW in 2012. Participants included representatives from Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
The main focus of the Exchange was on the potential offered by bottom-up memorialisation initiatives in contributing to transitional justice processes. The key issue debated in the Exchange Meeting was the following: can memorialisation activities help to reduce impunity in Asian countries that suffer from a culture of silence and impunity?
Transitional justice processes in S/SE Asia have only witnessed limited advancement over the last years. One of the crucial shortfalls herein has been a lack of bottom-up participation channels that allow local human rights groups, victims’ organisations and other grassroots initiatives to help establish the accountability process in a broader societal context. Two key factors sustain this shortfall. The most important one is the lack of political space for human rights activism. The other factor often obstructing a stronger role for human rights activists and victims is the international design of support for transitional justice processes. In this context, memorialisation initiatives provide local organisations with a significant tool to open up political space.
The Exchange helped to deepen refection among civil society groups and victims’ organisations regarding different memorialisation efforts in S/SE Asia and inspired plans and follow-up meetings which have already been set in motion in several countries. In addition to this report, seven Country Explorations on Memorialisation as Related to Transitional Justice Processes have been written in order to outline the specific situation of each country. These explorations present an overview of the state of affairs in the field of transitional justice in each country, mapping out existing memorialisation initiatives and possible ways forward.
Download the report:
Memorialisation as Related to Transitional Justice Processes in Burma/Myanmar: an Exploration
AAPP and Burma Partnership (2015) How to Defend the Defenders?
/in ND-Burma Members' ReportsA Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Burma and Appropriate Protection Mechanisms
Testimonies and reports from inside the country have painted a very different picture to the new tolerant and free Burma that the Burma Government wants the world to see. Those who try to defend human rights, or question the power or narrative of the Burma Government — and their military and corporate backers —now seem to be operating in as dangerous an environment as ever.
The immediate objective of the report is to provide a comprehensive picture of the current situation of Human Rights Defenders (“HRDs”) in Burma, including the threats and risks that they face. The report also provides concrete, practical, research-based, solution-oriented policy recommendations for HRDs, the Burma authorities, and any other relevant actors, to enhance HRDs’ access to adequate and realistic protection programs, and to strengthen legislative and judicial protection mechanisms for HRDs in Burma. The medium-term objective is to facilitate the emergence of an enabling environment in which HRDs can operate freely, and carry out their valuable and legitimate human rights work. The longterm objective is to realize an improved human rights situation in Burma, whereby human rights are promoted, respected and protected, particularly those of poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups, including religious, ethnic and social minorities, as well as local grassroots communities.
Download the full report in English or Burmese.
Download the report briefer in English or Burmese.
Presidential Amnesty does little to Liberate Burma’s Political Prisoners
/in Member statementsDate: July 31, 2015
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and the Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS) are greatly disappointed at the release of only a handful of political prisoners yesterday, among thousands of criminal offenders set free in the amnesty.
On July 30, 2015, the Ministry of Information announced the release of 6,966 prisoners in the first presidential amnesty since October 2014. Of those 6,966, only 13 political prisoners were granted freedom. This number is drastically disproportionate to the amount of political activists currently detained, with the 13 political prisoners all serving relatively short terms of imprisonment, or had in some cases almost completed their sentences. Yet, included in the amnesty were 155 Chinese nationals found guilty of illegal logging in Kachin State on July 22, 153 of which were sentenced to life imprisonment. Their release, less than 10 days after their sentencing following demands from China to free the prisoners and return them to their country of origin, raises serious doubts regarding Burma’s sovereignty and the validity of the rule of law in the country. The release of many criminal prisoners, in particular the backtracking shown in the case of the Chinese detainees, further reiterates how little respect for rule of law there is in Burma, and how urgently reforms in this area are needed.
With the number of arrests of political and human rights activists on the rise, it is evident that the government is increasingly cracking down on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression in the run up to general election. There are currently 120 political prisoners behind bars, with a further 444 people awaiting trial.
AAPP and FPPS call on the Government of Burma to unconditionally release the remaining political prisoners ahead of the November election, and end the ongoing trials of those facing charges. In addition, AAPP and FPPS urge the international community to stand with us in our efforts to ensure the Government of Burma heed this call.
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) and Former Political Prisoners Society (FPPS)
Contact:
Tate Naing, AAPP Secretary +66 (0) 81 287 8751
Bo Kyi, AAPP Joint Secretary +95 (0) 94 2530 8840
Tin Maung Oo (FPPS) +95 (0) 955 01429
ND-Burma launches its new report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma”
/in Activities, ND-Burma(Yangon, 11 June 2015) We have successfully launched the report of “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma,” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon on 11 June 2015.
ND-Burma’s press conference of the report, “To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma” at Orchid Hotel in Rangoon, Myanmar
In the report launch, Ma Thin Thin Aung as moderator, Lway Poe Ngel from Advocacy team (PWO), San Htoi (KWAT) and Su Su Swe (TWU) as panels.
Lway Poe Ngel explained about ND-Burma, UTP project, methodology and summary. Su Su Swe talked about Land Confiscation problems, which are a large part of the issues in the southern part of Burma and the recommendations and how to solve this problem. San Htoi also presented Torture and Killings cases which are majorly centered around Kachin and Northern Shan State, how to document those cases, how the Government acknowledged the past and current Human Rights abuses and how they should start to implement the reparation program for those who are suffering in the past and current.
Over 70 individuals, local media and CSOs attended the press conference.
The report can be download here.
To Recognize and Repair: Unofficial Truth Projects and the Need for Justice in Burma
/in Press Releases and Statements, Unofficial Truth SeekingMedia Release:
Date: 11 June 2015
ND-Burma releases its new report about acknowledgement and Read more